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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 02/07/2011 APPROVED MINUTES PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Geri Napuck, Chair (arrived at 7:20 p.m.), Hutch Coburn, Vice-Chair; Commissioners Tom Bierman, Lee Elliott-S toering, Derek Gunderson, Larry Link and Joan Oko COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: None COMMISSION STUDENTS PRESENT: Pranay Rao COMMISSION STAFF PRESENT: Jay Lotthammer, Parks and Recreation Director Laurie Obiazor, Recreation Services Manager Stu Fox, Parks Natural Resources Director Carol Pelzel, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Coburn at 7:00 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Elliott-S toering asked that an update on the skate park be added under Old Business. Motion: Oko moved, seconded by Gunderson, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried, 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF PRNR MINUTES —JANUARY 3, 2011 Motion: Link moved, seconded by Bierman, to approve the minutes from the January 3, 2011 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission meeting as published. The motion carried 3-0-3 with Coburn, Elliott-Stoering and Oko abstaining because of absence from that meeting. IV. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION Lotthammer reported there have been no recent items on the City Council agenda pertaining to Parks and Recreation. At the Council's last workshop they received a presentation on the 2010 Community Survey and this survey will be shared with the Commission in a couple months. The results of the survey were positive. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES February 7, 2011 Page 2 The City Council also reviewed the Budget Advisory Commission (BAC) and their role in being involved in the budget process. The BAC will work together with the City Council and a joint presentation with BAC and City Council will be conducted. The City Council wants to receive the information prior to BAC receiving it. The City Manager position has been offered to Rick Getschow, City Manager of Hopkins. They are working on contract terms and a firm announcement should be made by the end of the week or next week as to his start date. V. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMISSION Fox reported the Planning Commission has not had a meeting for almost two months. They are getting some indication that there may be some commercial developments and potentially a residential development coming forward. VI. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS VII. OLD BUSINESS A. SKATE PARK UPDATE Fox reported last year staff held meetings with the public as to what should be done at the skate park. Staff received input from a number of youth and took this information and developed a general concept. Staff has bid out the replacement of the skate park surface which is currently a 60' x 110' asphalt pad. The asphalt pad degrades and is not conducive to skating. They are proposing to tear out and replace the pad with concrete sometime this spring. Conceptual drawings from skate ramp manufacturers were sent back to the youths from the initial brainstorming session to have them look at the plans to see what they like and what will work best on the special area. They want to have skateboards and bikes and a more urban type setting as opposed to a typical skateboard configuration. Fox said they are trying to develop some innovative ideas and to bring them back to the group for consideration. He indicated they plan to have new equipment up some time in June. Staff does anticipate expanding the area to the west sometime in the future. VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. COMMISSION BRAINSTORMING VISIONING Coburn explained the process for conducting the brainstorming session stating there will be three categories for grouping the Commission's ideas around. They are lasting legacy, types of recreation, and promotional draw. Commission members placed their ideas around the three themes after which they were able to move their ideas around. After all ideas were posted Commission members were given the opportunity to vote for three topics in each group they want the Commission to focus on. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES February 7, 2011 Page 3 Staff will chart all of the items that were raised this evening and bring those back to the next Commission meeting. The Commission will look at the four items selected and their elements. Lotthammer explained this information will also be shared with staff. He suggested once the Commission agrees on the items included in the groupings it would be beneficial to look at what the ultimate objective or accomplishment is and what action they need to take to get to the ultimate goal. There may be some intermediate or acceptable steps. For example, Round Lake can't be drained and filled with a plastic liner but their goal may be to take steps toward adding additional water to bring up the lake water quality. Maybe the objective would be to make Round Lake swimmable again. Lotthammer said he believes this would be the next step of the process before they vote things off because they are too expensive. Coburn pointed out the Commission has already voted on the importance of the items listed. He suggested at their next meeting they take time to review the four items brought up along with any elements they can combine around Purgatory Creek or Round Lake. The Commission will need to focus on what it will take to do the things they have listed. Coburn said he encourages the Commission not to go backward but to spend time on the items they have already voted on. Oko asked if they are under any obligation to continue to try to clean up Round Lake or can they make a recommendation that they have done all they can and that the City stop spending money in terms of making the lake swimmable. Lotthammer responded there are results yet to come based on nature, filtration and Water Shed impacts. It has been stated over time there may be helpful controls from Mother Nature. Lotthammer said Round Lake is part of this process and it is important for the Commission to state their objective. Hopefully, they will draw some of that out through this process and they may decide it is not worth it. IX. REPORTS OF STAFF A. PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER 1. Flying Cloud Expansion Update Fox reported the City will be advertising for bids for the Flying Cloud expansion project. The bids will be opened on March 3 and staff is planning to present a verbal report to the Commission on March 7 including an abbreviated listing depending on how many bids are received. Bids will be presented to the City Council for their authorization to award the bid. If everything goes as planned, staff anticipates starting the project after April 15 with substantial completion by August 1. The plan includes four sport fields, final grading and grounds ready for seeding by City staff with full completion occurring by September 1. Approximately 130,000 cubic yards of material will be moved on that site. Elliott-S toering asked where the turn into the commercial corner would be placed. Fox responded initially, the access to the commercial site would come in from the access road on the south side. They do not know what the site will look like or what development will PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES February 7, 2011 Page 4 occur on the site. Lotthammer explained the City does have an agreement with MAC to grade the commercial site and to put in some storm piping for an estimated cost of $50,000. This was called out as an alternate in the bid package and MAC will reimburse the City for that amount. There is no imminent development for this site. The site will be graded and seeded to keep the dust down. Bierman asked if there is much interest in this project and if staff feels they will get multiple bids. Fox responded it is too early to tell. Based on past experience they anticipate approximately eight to nine companies bidding. Bierman said he assumes it is public knowledge about the $1.5 million available for this project. Fox said this is public information but they don't put this information in the bid documents. Bierman asked if there is an option for bidding a basic program change if they want to be aggressive particularly in the base price. He questioned if they could bid all weather turf as an option. Based on the initial cost for synthetic fields, estimated cost was $600,000 to $750,000, Fox said staff did not include this in the request for bids. 2. ForestryUpdate Fox presented an update on the City's Forestry Program and a summary of that program. He briefly reviewed the Disease Tree Program stating they removed 1,697 diseased Dutch elm trees and 51 oak wilt trees in 2009 and 1,324 Dutch elm diseased trees and 12 oak wilt trees in 2010. Staff inspected 22 of the 36 square miles of the City. Fox explained the process for marking and removal of diseased trees. He displayed pictures of diseased trees, trees damaged by insects and other tree damage. Fox further explained the City contracts for stump grinding because special equipment is required. Staff also removes damaged trees from public property including storm damaged trees. The City celebrates Arbor Day on May 1 with a walk around Staring Lake Park and has been a Tree City USA for approximately 28 years. Fox indicated hot topic tree issues include Emerald Ash Borer(EAB) and Gypsy Moth. Traps are being placed throughout the metro area to trap borers to see where they are. Gypsy Moth has been talked about for the past 20 plus years and they do consume a large amount of hardwood leaves. Bierman asked if there is any County or State initiative to provide funding to replace the Dutch elm trees that were removed. Fox responded when State Statute mandated municipalities to have a tree program there were some funds available but that ceased in mid-1980. The City budgets approximately $220,000 a year for this program. The program discourages residents from storing diseased trees in their back yard. Link asked if there is any effective treatment available for EAB or Gypsy Moth. Fox explained there is a fungicide treatment available for EAB. However, they caution people about injections that are not guaranteed for the life of the tree. Also, the insecticides being put into the trees have a detrimental effect on honeybees and other things. Fox explained there is a link on the City's website to the DNR and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and they are the experts. The City's responsibility is to get people directed to that area. PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MINUTES February 7, 2011 Page 5 B. COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER C. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER 1. Partnerships Obiazor presented an update on Partnerships in the City. She reviewed the partnerships with Helping Hands, Service Organizations, Youth Athletic Associations, the School District, Recreation Programs and Collaborative Partnerships. She explained this information would be included in detail in the Department's annual report. There are a lot of people working together to provide programs and services. Obiazor thanked the Commissioners for the time they devote to this Commission. Coburn said he is very impressed by the number of partnerships the City has. FYI: Senior Center Valentine's Breakfast D. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR 1. 2011 PRNR Work Plan Lotthammer reported in March the Commission will receive an additional update on the skate park along with ice rental review and an update on the 2010/2011 trail projects. Wednesday, May 11, is the banquet and on May 2 the Commission will be meeting with the Arts and Cultural Commission. The Commission will review the community survey at the April meeting and the Parks and Recreation Annual Report will be distributed and reviewed at that meeting. Oko asked if they have an update on the Community Center and its performance scheduled. Lotthammer said he would add that to the work plan. X. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission is Monday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. X. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Oko moved, seconded by Bierman, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 7-0 and the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.